Welcome to Women in Construction Week. As we always say here at Constructech, the numbers tell a very interesting story, and it seems the data is trying to tell us something, if we are willing to listen to what it has to say.
While 1.13 million women worked in the construction industry in 2006, that total fell to just 802,000 in 2012. What happened during that time to make the numbers drop so sharply? Simply, the 2008 Great Recession. However, since 2012, the number of female construction employees has increased. In 2024, women represented 11.2% of the construction workforce, which is the highest share in two decades, according to the NAHB (National Assn. of Home Builders).
As Peggy Smedley always says, the construction industry is cyclical in nature. There will always be downturns, but the construction industry weathers the storm, and while there are certainly changes that happen, the industry often comes back stronger than before. Because the truth is construction is essential. There will always be something that is needed.
Construction workers are also essential. In fact, with a labor shortage, the industry needs more workers than before. The industry also needs diversity in thoughts, opinions, and ideas. This is why different generations, different genders, and different races are key.
Women in Construction
Last year, Peggy Smedley penned an interesting blog about women in the workforce. The statistics show women make up nearly 47% of the overall U.S. workforce, yet in construction they only represent about 11% of workers. Even fewer of those women are in the skilled trade. While it is clearly an improvement, there is still much work to be done.
Perhaps the first step is understanding why the gap exists. A survey by PWC (Professional Women in Construction) New York from last year shows that women are drawn to construction for solid reasons: competitive pay, career advancement, professional development, strong benefits, and job security.
In fact, the industry boasts one of the lowest gender pay gaps, with women earning roughly 95% of what their male peers make, notably better than the national average.
Perhaps the second step then is getting this messaging out to the general public and building awareness about the opportunities for women in construction. This is where Women in Construction Week enters the conversation. This tradition of Women in Construction Week dates back more than six decades. Back in 1960, Amarillo Mayor A.F. Madison proclaimed the first “Women in Construction Week” to honor the founding of NAWIC (National Assn. of Women in Construction) and recognize the growing contributions of women in the field. Since that time, the movement has grown and evolved.
In 1998, NAWIC moved WIC Week to the first full week of March to align with Women’s History Month and Intl. Women’s Day. Now, the event includes national campaigns, regional programs, and chapter-led events across the United States that includes jobsite tours, panel discussions, mentorship sessions, media outreach, and community service projects.
This year, Women in Construction week also aligns with CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026, which is being held March 3-7 in Las Vegas, Nev. With all of this converging at the same time, there is a bigger conversation that is happening around women in the construction industry.
The bigger question becomes: Are we really truly making a difference with all this messaging? It seems the numbers are finally pointing to some growth as it relates to women in the construction industry, but is that growth happening fast enough?
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